Oh babies. 

How I love them so. Growing up, I wanted to have three children: two boys and one girl, just like my mother. And I got them! But I'm only 27...and I would like a big family of my own. So do I really only want three?

But when do you make the decision to stop having children? Don't you think that's such a difficult choice to make? My husband already provides for a family of five (and does an amazing job doing so), but do we add more strain to him, or risk biting off more than we can chew, to add another member to our family? Do we wait and then have them spaced far apart?

During my pregnancy with the boys, Eric and I discussed this at length, (we wanted to make up our minds before they came in case I wanted to get my tubes tied after delivery). Of course finances play a large role in the decision too. It's not cheap to have children, especially when they are close together in age. And we want to be able to provide the best we can for them. We want to be able to buy them their first car and send them to college. Yes, we think it is important to teach our children responsibility, and yes they will have some bills to take care of on their own. I think each child needs to have a summer job once they reach the appropriate age. But at the end of the day, they are just children, and you can't pile all of the responsibility on them alone. They will drown in it and will not succeed. Telling a teenager that they have to buy their own first car, and rack up insane amounts of debt for student loans, is pretty much asking them to fail. Or at the very least, have serious difficulty getting on their feet. 

There are also a lot of pros when thinking of having another child. You are going to be adding to your family! There is going to be another person to love. How great is that? With each child that I birthed, my heart tripled in size. I love each of my children more than they'll ever know. It's a pure, unconditional love. So, the more the merrier in my opinion! Yes, it can be difficult, and you feel like you're going crazy a lot of the time. But, it's so worth it. And, when I'm gone, my children will have each other. Their kids will have each other. That gives me comfort. So...adding more to my crew could never be a bad thing.

These were all factors we considered when making a choice on whether or not to have more children.

After the twins were born, we had reached a decision. We stayed up late discussing it many nights. I thought about it day after day. I discussed the options with my OB in detail. I even called my mom and talked with her many times about it. If you are in this situation right now, it will not be easy either way. Both decisions will have their own difficulties. Of course every family is unique, and what's best for one family, may not be at all what's best for the next. You just have to do what you feel is right. 

If you've decided that not having any more children is what's best for you, then be sure and watch out for baby fever. Because that's a real thing! 

I hope you are all doing well! If you've been lucky enough to have some beautiful spring weather, then I hope you've been out enjoying it. I know my kids have surely enjoyed being outside more! Hopefully it'll stay nice for Easter this weekend. I will be writing again soon!

Hugs and Love,